Touching Base
by LolaRitaReedus
Summary: "Aaron hadn't planned on doing it and it was the last thing Daryl expected, but as soon as Aaron's warm lips brushed over his, Daryl knew he needed it, and that just maybe deep down he'd been wanting it too." While out looking for supplies at a nearby military base, Daryl and Aaron end up enclosed in a tank for the night. RATED STRONG M. Daryl/Aaron one shot. Strong M/M smut.


**Touching Base**

Aaron had figured the Army Reserve base outside of Alexandria had probably been picked clean by roving bands, individual survivors, or just refugees of all sorts as they escaped the larger cities. Aaron had cautiously checked it out from afar, of course, but he hadn't been willing to risk taking Eric in there for a thorough search. If the two of them had run into a herd of walkers or a hostile group, they would have been in trouble. Aaron loved Eric, he was a wonderful person. But he was the gentle sort... too kind, too fragile, and not at all skilled in hand to hand combat. Aaron wouldn't have been strong enough to protect them both on his own in a dire situation. He was strong and strong-willed, but he was just one man. And honestly, he could use some training himself.

After being out with Daryl several times, hunting and recruiting, the idea of checking out the base in depth had started to nag at him. He had known Daryl could hold his own in a place like that if something happened and they might be able to find some useful supplies. Aaron also understood that Daryl could teach him quite a lot just from being exposed to his skills. Aaron could pick up a lot of abilities even more quickly if Daryl would be willing to offer him some real training or at least some pointers.

There was another reason Aaron had been keen to go out there with Daryl. As much as he wanted to deny it, he had grown more and more captivated by the archer. There was something mysterious and dangerous about Daryl. There was also something else; an underlying sensitivity, kindness, or gentleness. The archer's combination of sweet and severe was too tempting for Aaron to deny his growing attraction. It was a bit of a thrill for him each time he and Daryl went out into the wilderness together.

Aaron had realized a trip out to the Army base would require extra time outside of Alexandria. Maybe two days. Alone. Together. It thrilled him.

Eric, of course, had sensed it. And Eric, being Eric, had brought it out in the open freely and with a smile on his face. "You think I didn't see it the minute you brought him back? Aaron…Aaron, Aaron, Aaron." Eric had grinned and kissed him sweetly. "Just be careful." That was all he had said about the situation.

That was two days ago. Aaron was thinking of Eric now as he listened to the heavy metal clink of the tank's roof hatch as Daryl closed them in. Aaron had promised Eric that he'd be ok. He promised him that _they_ would be ok. Now Aaron wasn't sure that he'd be able to keep that promise.

The base had been picked over as they thought it might be, but there were still supplies that could be used. There were also, unfortunately, herds of walkers around every corner. The base had been set up as a shelter for the local communities. People had died there and been trapped inside the gates. More people had come to loot supplies and had also died. Now he and Daryl were here, too. Aaron hoped they wouldn't meet the same fate.

They would have been fine, quick in and out, if they hadn't gotten trapped inside one of the chambers in the base's main compound building. A door had snapped shut and locked on them as they scavenged inside. It had taken hours, but he and Daryl had managed to use some tools and a table leg to smash their way through a wall to escape. By the time they returned outside, it was almost dark. Too dark to realize that there was an enormous herd cutting them off on two sides as they rounded the corner of the building. They had been cut off from returning inside and cut off from the exit gate ahead.

The herd closed in and just as Aaron thought it was useless to even try to fight through, Daryl had dragged him backwards and indicated toward a massive tank that sat askew in the lot. They had clamored up the side and into the open hatch without a second to spare.

And now the hatch was closed and he and Daryl were sat in complete silence and darkness with only the sounds of their heartbeats and panting breaths to let them know they hadn't slipped into the deep black pit that was death.

"Hey." The growl of Daryl's voice was too loud in the silence. "You a'right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Aaron didn't even believe himself. His response had come out in barely a whisper and sounded more like a question than a confirmation.

He hadn't even heard the movement, but Aaron suddenly felt Daryl next to him. The archer's hand grasped his shoulder steadily. "It'll be fine. They can't get in. They'll forget we're in here overnight and wander off. Or something will draw their attention. Either way, we'll figure it out."

"Right. Of course." Aaron smiled despite his foreboding. Daryl's assuredness sometimes surprised him in the most peculiar moments. He seemed like a doubtful man, but when it came down to it Daryl Dixon had a deep-seated hopeful light shining at the core of him. Aaron had mentioned it once, how Daryl seemed to sway toward hope and faith in the grimmest moments. Daryl had only shrugged, cast his eyes away, and unconsciously touched the white-handled knife that constantly hung from his belt. Aaron meant to ask him about that knife someday, what it meant to him.

Right at the moment, however, Aaron didn't ask Daryl anything. But he couldn't resist reaching up and grasping the hand on his shoulder. Allowing himself a touch of Daryl's skin. The man's hands were softer than he had expected. Daryl didn't pull away, but leaned over and bumped Aaron's shoulder with his own in a friendly gesture before pulling away.

"Come on. We better see if there's anything useful in here. Then we can get comfy fer the night. Least it's cool. It could be summer and we could be sweatin' our balls off in this G.I. piece of shit."

"Wow, Daryl. That's looking on the bright side. A very…colorful…bright side."

"That's me. Mr fuckin' Bright side," Daryl snorted, a smirk on his lips as he scrambled to his feet. He turned around and grabbed Aaron's bicep enthusiastically, pulling him up off the floor.

"Ya reckon these poor bastards still have their chocolate ration on 'em?" Daryl asked randomly as he kicked the boot of one of dead G.I's. "I'd kill fer some chocolate right now," he mumbled quietly, more to himself than Aaron.

Daryl quickly acclimatised to the darkness in the tank as he took a good look at the four corpses propped against the interior, chewing on the pad of his thumb as he decided which one to start frisking first.

"We're stuck in a M1 Abrams, surrounded by walking corpses that want to eat us, we have no weapons to speak of, no plan of escape, no food or water, there's decomposing bodies everywhere…and you see chocolate?" Aaron widened his eyes and shook his head in disbelief, as a grin spread across his face.

"Bright side, remember?" Daryl tried to sound light hearted, but he couldn't stop the sadness that would always creep over him when he thought about how much he missed her. Beth. She would have sat him down right about now and told him, in her bright and optimistic way, that everything was going to be alright. She would have calmed him and given him hope, which is what he wanted to do for Aaron now.

As Daryl returned to the task in hand, bending forward and rummaging through the pockets of the G.I closest to him, a strangled moan echoed around in the silence. Before he could turn around, a hand came from behind him and grasped for his leg, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing sideways into the wall, impaling him straight onto a shard of broken metal. An excruciating pain shot through his bicep as the sharp metal tore into his flesh, ripping it wide open and piercing through to the other side. Daryl cried out in agony, a colorful array of cuss words mixing with breathy gasps and agonised groans as his hand grabbed for the wound.

The walker was now flailing upwards with both hands, the smell of blood and fresh meat waking it from its weakened state. Its jaws gnashed wildly, teeth grinding together as it snapped its mouth so close to Daryl's leg he could feel the fabric of his pants tearing. He couldn't move though, he was pinned to the wall of the tank and both his knife and Beth's knife were out of reach.

In the seconds it took for Daryl to gather the courage to pull himself free of the metal spike, Aaron had unsheathed his knife and was grappling with the walker, pulling him away from Daryl's leg as he pushed his blade easily through the top of the rotten walker's head. The walker slid lifelessly to the floor, silence returning once more to the tank as Aaron grabbed on to Daryl and held him steady.

Aaron's fingers sank into the warm wet blood that had already saturated the archer's shirt as he gripped onto the flesh of Daryl's upper arm. That would have to wait though. All Aaron could think about right now was whether he'd been quick enough, whether he'd dispatched the walker before it'd taken a bite from his friend.

"Are you bit… did it bite you?" Aaron was frantically frisking the archer's body, his hands running over every hard line and soft contour, searching for any sign his friend had been wounded anywhere other than his arm. Aaron then fell to his knees, checking over Daryl's legs as his heart missed a beat at what he might find under the torn fabric. As his fingers roamed the muscles of his legs, he found nothing, no blood or any sign Daryl had even been scratched. As Aaron's heartbeat calmed with the relief of knowing Daryl wasn't bit, he felt himself distracted instead by the archer's firm strong muscles. Aaron's hands continued to roam, purposefully caressing more than innocently searching.

"M'fine. 'cept my arm hurts like a bitch." Daryl grumbled, trying to play down his obviously severe wound as he looked down at Aaron with a confused look on his face.

Aaron felt himself turning crimson at being caught groping his injured friend, immediately pulling out of his trance and standing up, holding the archer at arm's length to look at him. Daryl's eyes began to close as his head started to spin. He wobbled against Aaron's body as the pain in his bicep throbbed and the blood trickled warm and fast down his arm.

Aaron was now panicking, Daryl was losing blood fast and although he hadn't been bitten, he wasn't anywhere near to being 'fine' as he claimed he was. "Come on, if you don't sit, you're gonna fall. We need to stop the bleeding." Aaron slid his arm around Daryl's waist and helped him through the tank and onto the driver's seat. Aaron took off his jacket, rolled it up and pressed it into the bleeding gash, guiding Daryl's hand in place and showing him to press it firmly. "Stay awake, I'm gonna see what I can find to stop the bleeding, there must be some kind of medical supplies in this thing. If you fall asleep on me, I'm gonna be pissed, you hear? And if you bleed all over my jacket I'm gonna be even more pissed." Aaron announced firmly, in an attempt to keep the archer engaged, which seemed to work.

"Fuck. Ya talk to Eric that way? Ain't no doubt 'bout who wears the pants in that relationship." Daryl chuckled and groaned at the same time, another wave of pain coursing through his body.

"Just press it… hard. I'll be back in a minute." With that Aaron turned around. First he stabbed each dead soldier through the head. He was taking no more chances with either his life or Daryl's. He frisked each body as quickly as he could, collecting anything he thought might be useful, which wasn't much. Just when he thought they were out of luck and the medical supplies were long gone, he glanced sideways and noticed a medical tin tucked away underneath a seat.

He yanked it out and popped the lid. He quickly found gauze and bandages, tape, syringes and painkillers, but his heart started to thump when he couldn't locate the antihemorrhagic. He knew dressings and pressure alone weren't going to stop the bleeding, Daryl needed this. Just as he was about to give up, scattering items over the floor in a rage, he found it. Celox granules.

Aaron's brother had been an Army medic back in Iraq and had regaled him with stories of how this stuff had saved countless lives. Soldiers with bullet wounds and stab wounds, IED's, soldiers with limbs missing, major arterial bleeds… all living today because of this.

Aaron rushed back to Daryl with everything he could carry, kneeling next to the archer, who was so close to unconsciousness that he'd stopped applying pressure to the wound and a slow trickle of blood was dripping from his fingers and pooling onto the floor.

"I need to take off your shirt, it's probably gonna hurt. So cuss away." Aaron had already started to rip at Daryl's clothing, his hand's sliding over the warm flesh of his chest as he pushed Daryl's blood soaked shirt and vest over his shoulders and out the way.

Daryl groaned, waking up and recoiling his body in pain as Aaron dragged the rough fabric across the wound. "You're awake, and you can still feel pain. That's good." Aaron declared with a hopeful smile on his lips.

"Fuck, ya ain't never gonna win nurse a' the year!" Daryl complained as Aaron sat the archer forward to inspect the gash, prodding around the edges to see where he needed to pour the granules.

"And you'll never win patient of the year. You need to stay still and let me look." Aaron was shaking with fear now as nerves set in, and he felt like he might be sick as he ripped the packet of Celox open with his teeth, his trembling hand holding onto Daryl's arm as he poured the granules in and around the wound.

Aaron used a bandage of gauze to apply pressure over the packed wound as Daryl twitched and cursed loudly, his body tightening up at the pain. As he squirmed, one of Daryl's knees came to rest in a rather awkward spot for Aaron, but he didn't dare release the pressure on his best friend's arm. They sat like that for a few moments, probably much longer than necessary for the Celox to stop the bleeding, but Aaron was playing it safe.

As they sat face to face, Aaron once again took note of Daryl's rippling muscles as he strained against the pain. It was rather hard to ignore considering Aaron was kneeling right next to the shirtless man, his hands gripping Daryl's tight sumptuous curves in his hands. Aaron's pulse picked up as he suddenly imagined gripping those arm muscles tight as Daryl covered his body with his own and slid tightly inside him. It came out of nowhere, but the quick little fantasy was enough to make his cock twitch and harden embarrassingly against Daryl's knee.

Aaron shifted away slightly and hoped Daryl didn't notice, but of course he did. What made Daryl such an avid survivalist was that he noticed most everything. Daryl didn't move but Aaron glanced up to see that the hunter's bright blue eyes were trained on him, narrowed in suspicious study. To Aaron's immense shock Daryl kept looking at him while he moved his knee slowly back to rest against Aaron's groin, narrowing his eyes even further after confirming the hardness he found there.

Aaron shot into a standing position suddenly, smacking his head against a metal overhang and almost knocking himself stupid. Which is how he felt now. His head banged as hard as his heart as he panicked, thinking…knowing Daryl was going to be lost to him now. The sweet tough and skittish redneck he had grown so fond of wouldn't even want to be in his sight now he knew Aaron lusted after him. He'd just lost his friend and it killed him.

Aaron cleared his throat and grabbed for the nearest pack of gauze. He removed the soaked pad and replaced it with another, then wrapped the wound tightly and taped it into place. It would have to do until he could get Daryl home to a real doctor and some real first aid. When he was satisfied with the dressing, Aaron took a step back and sat down on the opposite side of the tank. Daryl still hadn't moved or made a sound. It was unnerving.

It took Aaron a moment to gather enough courage to meet Daryl's stare. And he WAS staring. Directly at him, and with a look that Aaron couldn't quite decipher. Suspicion and what seemed like anger. Aaron averted his eyes again, crossed his arms, and wished that he could sink into the floor away from his embarrassment and disappointment.

After a pause for consideration, Daryl finally spoke, but his voice was barely above a whisper. It came out as a growl, though. One that seemed to Aaron to echo against the interior of the metal trap he was caught in. "My pain get ya off or somethin'? Or is it just me bein' helpless that does it for ya?"

"What?" Obviously Daryl was trying to figure things out, not even remotely aware of his attractiveness. If he hadn't seemed so angry, Aaron would have thought it was adorable that Daryl was coming up with any wild excuse for Aaron's arousal besides his own beautiful physique and natural sexual allure. "Daryl. That's not why…why…"

"Then why?" Daryl felt a bit woozy, probably from the blood loss. And also from the blood that rushed south when he felt Aaron pressed against him. It was a shocking realization for Daryl, to find that the attention of another man turned him on. He'd never even considered a man in that sense before now. Not that he had a problem with it, it just hadn't happened to cross his mind. As much as it was alluring, though, Daryl couldn't just accept it. He couldn't turn it around in his brain why Aaron would suddenly sport wood over his broke down damaged ass. Daryl had a sinking feeling it was just the fact that he seemed pathetic, that he seemed like he could be taken easily or something. It just didn't make any sense. Why else would a capable good looking guy like Aaron find him appealing?

Aaron tried to think of the best response to make his friend understand that he didn't want to take advantage of him, but that he was attracted to him because he was kind, strong, and beautiful. "Uh, I guess it's the shirtless aspect?" Aaron raised his eyebrows at the archer, trying to see how that would go over before going any farther. "To begin with."

Daryl self-consciously crossed his good arm over his bare chest and looked down on himself. "Pffft!" His leg twitched in nervousness, his foot bobbing up and down. Aaron imagined that Daryl longed to bite the pad of his thumb but was warring with himself over raising his arm or keeping himself partially covered.

"You're adorable." It slipped out before Aaron could check his words. Where the hell was a nice convenient sink hole to swallow you up when you needed one?

Daryl's head snapped up to meet Aaron's wide honest eyes. While he was certain that Aaron couldn't really think that, Daryl also knew that Aaron wasn't much capable of lies, either. His eyes betrayed every thought that crossed his mind. Right now, Daryl could see the shock and blatant embarrassment there. Aaron hadn't meant to say that, and Daryl didn't understand it, but he meant it.

Beth suddenly crossed back into Daryl's thoughts. The night he was last really with her at the dinner table. The way Daryl had wanted to say something similar to her, but the embarrassment and fear he felt stopped him. All he'd been able to get out was murmurs, basically. Maybe Aaron felt the same way now. Maybe this wasn't the first time Aaron had felt these things or thought them…maybe…

Daryl was still sorting through his confusion when Aaron got up, stepped forward, and leaned down into Daryl to place a soft loving kiss on his lips.

Aaron hadn't planned on doing it and it was the last thing Daryl expected, but as soon as Aaron's warm lips brushed over his, Daryl knew he needed it, and that just maybe deep down he'd been wanting it too.

Aaron tried to pull back, not wanting to push the archer, and suddenly very afraid at being locked in this tight space with a man he knew could do him serious damage, injured or not. Instead of pulling away, Aaron found himself being tugged downwards by Daryl's good arm, as his mouth returned Aaron's kiss for a moment with both a force and passion neither were expecting.

Daryl panted breathlessly as he finally broke the kiss. "Adorable huh? Been called a lotta things. That ain't one a' them, not even close," His fingers were still threaded through Aaron's hair and despite his weakened state, he had no intention of letting him go. An unknown and completely exhilarating thrill was coursing through his body, and Daryl didn't ever want it to stop.

Aaron was now on his knees, pressed firmly between Daryl's thighs, as the archer held him tight, only inches from his face.

"Uhm…no? Yes. I Uhm, you _are_ adorable...to me," Aaron fluffed through a semblance of a response, but seeing the look in Daryl's eyes, knew he needed to say more. "Because you have no idea what you are. Beautiful. Strong. Masculine. Capable. Fierce. Kind. Loyal. Gentle." Aaron spoke softly and slowly, exaggerating each word. Partly because he was still unsure as to what Daryl's reaction would be, but mostly because he wanted Daryl to understand the real reason 'why' he was hard for him.

As Daryl looked at him wildly, eyes narrowed, mouth open and his breath coming hard and fast at Aaron's revelation, Aaron felt the need to counter his honesty. "But I know you're not gay. Obviously you're not gay. Not into men, or me. Why would you be? Not like that. Not at all. I should have made it clear how I felt about you a long time ago… put my feelings away. You've always been open and honest with me. I'm sorr…" Aaron was cut off as he fumbled through a rushed and panicked explanation and apology, coloring up and trying to back away.

Daryl tightened his grip on Aaron, stopping him from going anywhere. His eyes locked intensely with the older man's as he considered his explanation. "Shut the hell up talkin' and just do it…whatever ya wanna do to me…That clear enough fer ya?" not knowing how else to show his acceptance of what was happening between them, Daryl warily shifted his inner thigh up and down Aaron's side. Daryl's eyes dropped away from his friend's stare, only to find himself staring instead at the outline of Aaron's erection. Daryl's mind began to race uncontrollably with dirty thoughts as his heart banged with desire for this man who had always been so kind to him, so friendly and caring, and until now he'd never thought of as anything other than his best friend.

Now it was now Aaron's turn to look confused. He probably would've been suspicious too, if he knew Daryl wasn't being deadly serious. But he knew his friend well enough to know that he never said anything he didn't mean or that he hadn't thought long and hard about.

Before Aaron could decide how to answer such a request, Daryl's usually gruff voice echoed softly around the tank. "I wanna know what it's like… to feel wanted… by someone. Just once. That honest enough fer ya?" Daryl gasped in relief of finally saying it out loud. His fingers stroking gently across the back of Aaron's neck, his foot bobbing nervously as if expecting Aaron to change his mind or laugh at him. His eyes flicking up anxiously through his bangs to meet Aaron's once more.

Aaron swallowed hard, he was shocked at the archer's sudden heartfelt and honest outburst. But not shocked enough for his hard on to disappear, or for him to end this right now before it spiralled into something neither could control. He'd wanted his friend too badly for too long to stop anything. The archer's deep husky drawl, his beauty, his innocence, the way he was looking at him, the way his body was inviting him in, his awkwardness, his shyness…it was making Aaron's head spin and his balls ache with desire.

Aaron slowly pulled himself free of Daryl's grasp and rocked back on his heels, his eyes raking over the sexy half-naked man in front of him, watching his chest heave and his skin flush under the intense scrutiny of his hungry gaze. As Aaron's eyes drifted lower, he found that Daryl was sporting an even bigger hard on than he was. That knowledge had Aaron groaning inside.

Aaron reached out his hand, gently stroking his fingers through the hair at Daryl's temple "You want honesty? It's not because you're helpless, or injured or in pain. It's because you're everything I've ever wanted…ever needed. I don't want you because I think you're too weak or pathetic to say no, Daryl, I want you because you're the strongest and sweetest person I know. You're beautiful." Aaron pressed his warm lips into Daryl's once more, feeling the younger man shudder and suck in a breath.

Daryl couldn't speak, anyway even if he could, what would he say? His head was spinning, his wound throbbing, his cock aching, his heart thumping, and his eyes drifting shut as he tried to sort through…well, everything.

' _Strong, beautiful, everything he's ever wanted'_ Aaron's words swirled in Daryl's head as the older man's warm breath caught against his face and his firm hands squeezed the archer's thighs. Aaron's thumbs rubbed teasingly close along each side of Daryl's rigid cock, making it twitch deliciously as a frisson of excitement shot down Daryl's spine.

Daryl barely got chance to open his eyes before Aaron's lips were on him once more. Daryl still didn't understand it, but he didn't have the energy to question it anymore. No one had ever said anything this nice to him before, never kissed him the way Aaron was kissing him and no one had ever wanted him the way he could see Aaron wanted him. Daryl could feel the hot hard length of Aaron's cock pressing into his own swollen length as Aaron pushed forward and nipped at his lips, sucking and kissing and moaning. Aaron's hands roamed the archer's naked torso, tweaking his solid nipples until Daryl thought he might come from the sensory overload. The archer could feel himself leaking into his boxers as his balls throbbed and his cock pulsed, his stomach flipping at every new exquisite sensation racing through his body. Right then he knew he needed more. He needed whatever his friend was offering.

While he knew he'd be happy to let Aaron continue to kiss and touch him like this forever; softly, sweetly, with affection and tenderness, Daryl also knew he should be doing something in return, but was at a loss as to what that should be. Only having one good arm would have been enough of an inconvenience if he was with a woman, but a man? What the hell was the protocol for a situation like this? Who did what, and when? What was Aaron expecting from him? Was he just supposed to grab his cock? Who fucked who? Who decided? How the hell did any of it work? Daryl began to seize up in panic, as his excitement turned to fear.

Aaron of course noticed.

Aaron pulled back and looked at the now almost trembling archer, smiling softly as he traced his thumb over Daryl's soft beautiful pink lips. Aaron could feel the panic and confusion that was now seeping from every pore of his friend, and all he wanted to do was show him there was nothing to be scared about. Not with him. He wanted to show the archer how he could take care of him for once, instead of the other way around.

"It's okay. You can trust me." Aaron's warm soft lips pressed carefully into the curve of Daryl's neck, kissing and licking as he slowly moved south. He covered the archer's broad shoulders, sculpted chest, abdomen and every other piece of flesh he passed, with soft feather light kisses. Aaron let his palms slide greedily over every firm contour of his friend's perfect ripped body, eliciting tiny pleasure filled grunts from the archer as he relaxed back into his seat.

As Aaron enjoyed playing out part of a fantasy he'd long imagined, he realised the most fulfilling part was seeing Daryl letting go, finally accepting what his body needed and allowing himself to experience the joy of being wanted.

Aaron began to undo Daryl's belt, quickly unzipping his pants as his mouth continued to distract the younger man, kissing a line of warmth across the archer's stomach. He somehow managed to drag Daryl's pants and boxers under his ass and down his thighs, watching as Daryl's thick erect cock sprang free to lay heavily against the flat of his stomach. Aaron curled his fingers loosely around it, sliding his fist up and down slowly at first, then gripping harder and moving faster, until, judging by his friend's moans, he found a pressure and speed Daryl seemed to like.

Aaron sat back and watched a while as he continued on, enjoying the beautiful view as Daryl squeezed his eyes closed, hung his head back and combed his fingers rhythmically though Aaron's hair. When Aaron ran his thumb firmly along the underside of Daryl's cock, Daryl scrunched his fingers harder and let out a whimpered gasp. Aaron suddenly needed more than just watching and touching. He leant forward and licked the sticky wet head of Daryl's cock, flicking back and forth softly a few times, before pulling back the archer's foreskin and tracing his tongue around the head. Aaron closed his lips firmly around Daryl's girth and slid his mouth down his length until he couldn't take any more.

As Daryl let out a long deep groan, his eyes almost rolling back in his head from Aaron's mind blowing ministrations, he knew the only thing that was stopping him from coming in Aaron's mouth right then and there was the horrifying thought that it might be the end, that Aaron wouldn't want him anymore. So even though all Daryl really wanted to do was shoot off into the warmest, wettest most welcoming place his cock had ever been, he didn't. Fear stopped him, and right then he'd never been so glad to be afraid.

Daryl's hand rested in Aaron's hair, bobbing up and down with Aaron's head as he sucked him with such force, Daryl felt the sensitive head of his cock scraping the back of Aaron's throat, making Daryl whimper and gasp as his balls pulled up and his cock dribbled its appreciation straight down the older man's throat.

Just as Daryl was about to push Aaron away and stop himself finishing, Aaron stopped anyway. He sat back to look at his friend, wiping at his mouth and grinning. Daryl was now grasping onto Aaron's shoulder, his chest heaving and breath coming in heavy bursts as he tried desperately to hold back the orgasm still threatening him. Aaron pressed a kiss to Daryl's mouth and brushed his messy bangs from his eyes. "Are you strong enough to stand? I don't want you passing out on me. This might…well it can be a bit intense the first time…"

"Mmmhmm. Quit fussin'. Do I look like I'mma pass out?" Daryl interrupted, a genuinely happy smile…not smirk…on his face for once. "And if I did, reckon I'd be okay anyways. Ya make a pretty good nurse." Daryl glanced down at his bandaged arm to prove his point, squeezing Aaron's shoulder reassuringly.

Aaron knew that was Daryl's way of telling him to shut up and get on with it, so Aaron pulled Daryl out of his seat and into his arms, then kissed him…hard. His hands working to undress himself and remove the rest of Daryl's clothing, which at this point only consisted of pants that were already half way down his legs, and boots. Once they were both naked and tangled around each other, gasping for air between their long deep passionate kisses, Daryl pressed his body even harder into Aaron's. He held him firmly against the tank's metal wall, eyes burning through to Aaron's soul as he revelled in the wonderful feeling of every smooth contour of Aaron's lithe muscular body moulding with his own hard lines.

Daryl's good hand began to trace lines down his friend's arm and side. As Daryl closed his eyes he leant forward and nuzzled his face into Aaron's neck. Daryl had never imagined this…to want a man, to enjoy the feel of another man's flesh against his, or to want another man touching his body in such intimate ways. But he did, and he wasn't going to feel ashamed about it either.

As Aaron wrapped one arm around Daryl's waist and the other around his neck, stroking the hair at his nape, the archer could feel Aaron's rock solid cock rubbing and leaking against his own and realised his friend must need some kind of release too. Daryl chewed on his lip for a second as he decided what to do, before gradually sliding his hand between their bodies and stroking as gently as he could along Aaron's warm silk like shaft. Daryl felt the older man shudder against him, tugging at his hair and moaning quietly as he buried his face in Daryl's shoulder.

Aaron let Daryl touch him like that for a while. Gentle slow strokes as his fist pumped the length of him, as he let him get used to touching another man. When Aaron could feel the familiar early swell of orgasm building low in his abdomen he grabbed Daryl's hand and pulled it away, planting a soft loving kiss on his lips.

Before Daryl could speak, Aaron had already spun him around and was pressing him into the tank's metal side. Both Aaron's palms came down to rest on Daryl's ass cheeks, massaging and rubbing as he kissed between Daryl's shoulder blades and up the side of his neck. After a while of Daryl groaning and panting, Aaron moved lower, licking and kissing down Daryl's spine, lowering himself onto his knees as his tongue licked a hot wet path to the top of Daryl's ass.

Without warning Aaron spread Daryl's legs, ducked his head between his thighs and licked another hot wet path, this time from his balls to his tight little asshole. Aaron parted his cheeks, licking and swirling his tongue over his puckered entrance, dipping inside the archer's hot tight body until Daryl was trembling and begging for more. Aaron lubricated his index finger as best he could before sweeping the pad across Daryl's entrance, circling with increasing pressure and slowly inching all the way inside the archer's softening body.

"Argh, fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Daryl cried out as Aaron's finger hit the place he was aiming for. Aaron pulled and pushed his finger through the wetness, over and over, skilfully grazing the archer's prostate each and every time until he had him leaking ribbons of cool sticky arousal across both his stomach and the tank wall. Aaron pushed in his middle finger, sliding them both deep into the archer's body. Daryl's hand grabbed behind him for Aaron's hair, tugging on it as he panted and gasped at what was more pleasure than he thought his body could handle. "I'm gonna come. Ahh, shit stop. Don't wanna...please."

As Aaron felt Daryl's fingers dig desperately into his scalp, he pulled back his digits, holding them still as he did as Daryl asked and stopped. With his fingers still partially buried inside his lover, Aaron stood up and wrapped his other arm around Daryl's waist, holding him steady and pulling him close at the same time. He listened to the archer catching his breath, giving him a moment to recover.

As Aaron felt Daryl's ass start to contract and tighten around his motionless fingers, Aaron groaned and pressed a kiss to Daryl's sweat covered shoulder, moulding his chest against Daryl's firm muscular back. As his mouth kissed and sucked at Daryl's neck and shoulder, his fingers started to move again. Torturously slowly this time as he twisted them, curled them and thrust them as deeply as he could, purposefully avoiding the spot he knew would finish his friend.

As his body burned with pleasure, and his soul drowned in desire, Daryl couldn't think about much of anything. He only knew that what should have been embarrassing; Aaron sinking his fingers deep into his ass, his body being aflame from the burn of being touched and stretched open like this, his asshole being licked by anyone, let alone a man, wasn't at all embarrassing. He'd never felt pleasure like it in his life before, and all he could think was that he couldn't let it end because he'd never get to feel it again. And he so badly wanted to feel it again.

Suddenly a stronger and more intense burning and stretching sensation, not altogether unpleasant, startled Daryl from his thoughts. Aaron had started to scissor his fingers inside the archer's virgin ass, pulling and pushing, and stretching his opening until it was almost begging Aaron to fuck it. Daryl then felt Aaron's warm soft hand stroking along his length again, curling around his cock at the same moment his warm soft mouth pressed into the whiskers on his jaw. It was almost too much; Aaron was everywhere, his fingers doing divine things inside his body as his mouth and hands did blissful things to the outside.

"I want to be inside you, Daryl. I want to show you what it's like to be wanted… how good it feels to let someone love you. Please." Aaron was giving Daryl one last chance to say no.

Daryl turned his head and caught the older man's lower lip between his teeth, sucking it into his mouth and groaning as he rocked his ass backwards, sliding himself fully onto Aaron's fingers and giving his answer. If this was a one-time thing, then Daryl wanted it all. He wanted to be wanted. Just once.

Aaron pulled out his digits, leaving Daryl feeling lost and empty. Leaving an ache deep inside him that he knew needed to be filled, and not just physically. The ache was in his soul and he knew that only Aaron could fill it. A few seconds passed by and Aaron still hadn't moved. His fingertips brushed absentmindedly over the hardened raised scars on Daryl's back. Moments more passed as Aaron's mind raced with thoughts of the past, the present and the future, the realisation he was in love with Daryl and probably had been for months. He knew it was the archer he wanted to spend every minute of his life with from now on, not Eric. It was the archer he couldn't live without.

Daryl was back in panic mode, Aaron's silence and stillness behind him was unnerving. He just knew he'd changed his mind. He knew if he saw his scars he would change his mind, but he'd thought maybe, just maybe Aaron wouldn't care. But why would someone as perfect as Aaron want his beat up old body when he already had Eric? Why the hell had he been stupid enough to believe someone might actually want him, love him as he was? As Daryl began to wriggle free, trying to turn and escape, like a cornered animal, Aaron pulled himself from his thoughts, realising Daryl must've mistaken his hesitation for rejection.

He grabbed onto Daryl, stopping him from leaving by curling one arm around his chest and pulling him tight against his body. He held him like that for a moment, until Daryl had calmed and stopped fighting him. Aaron took a half step back, kissing softly along the biggest and angriest looking scar that littered Daryl's back. As he trailed his soft lips over the rough scars one by one, his other hand moved downwards and guided his cock between Daryl's ass cheeks, sliding the head against the warm wet puckered entrance his fingers had been inside of only moments before.

Aaron's cock had been leaking precum in a steady stream since the moment he'd touched Daryl's body, and he knew it was more than enough lubricant to slide inside Daryl without hurting him. As Aaron slicked Daryl's ass with the wetness from the head of his cock, he pushed forward. As the tip of his cock broke through the ring of loosened muscle at Daryl's entrance, he pulled the archer closer to him, almost crushing him as he aligned their bodies and made sure every part of him was touching Daryl. He wanted to feel it all as he prepared to watch the archer fall apart in his arms.

He pushed in a bit further, pulling Daryl's body downwards at the same time. Daryl grunted and gasped as Aaron stroked carefully back and forth, inching inside as he let Daryl's body fight its natural need to close. Aaron kissed Daryl's neck and jaw, pushing upwards until he was sheathed completely inside the archer's hot, tight, wet and completely perfect body.

"God, you feel amazing. So fucking tight. So fucking beautiful." Aaron murmured against Daryl's clammy flesh, cuss words feeling strange as they fell unchecked from his lips. He pulled back through the slippery tightness that threatened to undo him, before gently thrusting back in, then out, over and over as the archer panted and moaned in pleasure at every forward thrust of his friend's cock.

Aaron altered his angle of penetration, grazing over that same smooth spot inside Daryl's body that had him whimpering and yanking at the older man's hair painfully. His cock was twitching hard against his stomach as it leaked his arousal, his balls were set to explode and his ass was burning both beautifully and painfully with every deliberately placed movement of Aaron's huge cock.

As Aaron fucked Daryl against the cold metal wall of the tank, he wrapped him in his arms, tracing his fingers over every beautiful flexing muscle, tweaking his hardened nipples and reaching down to cup his balls as he kissed and nipped at his neck.

Daryl let his head fall back to rest on Aaron's shoulder as he gasped for breath, his heart racing and his body spiralling into orgasm. To the point of no return. Aaron held him tightly, stroking and kissing as he grazed his prostate with the head of his cock, faster and faster as he felt his own balls begin to tighten and that dull ache throb in his abdomen.

"Fuck. Fuck that feels so good. I'm gonna come. Oh, shit. Don't…" Daryl brushed Aaron's thigh with his weakened hand, his other snaking backwards and threading through Aaron's curly hair. Aaron rested his chin on the archers shoulder, looking down along his quivering body and thrusting into him once more, watching as his lovers cock jerked wildly against his stomach, shooting stream after stream of thick white cum into the air, splashing his chest and the floor in equal parts.

As Daryl's ass went into spasm, clenching down rapidly and forcefully around Aaron's already restricted cock, Aaron's own climax hit. He pulled himself out of Daryl's warm pulsing body, fisting his cock a few times before groaning out and spilling himself in thick hard spurts over the bare clammy flesh of the archer's lower back and ass.

Daryl's legs buckled as his head started to spin and his vision blurred. He wasn't sure if it was the fact he'd never come that hard in his life before, the fact he didn't even know you could come like that without being touched, or the fact his body had been running on adrenaline for so long, that now it was returning to normal, his injury and the blood loss was finally taking its toll.

As the archer tried to grab for Aaron to steady himself, everything around him went dark and quiet, despite Aaron's panicked shouting.

Aaron caught him, even though the rush of orgasm that was currently coursing its way around his body was making him breathless and shaky. Panting, Aaron sat himself down, his back against the wall as he dragged Daryl's limp body between his legs, pulling him backwards and hard against his chest as his head flopped back onto Aaron's shoulder.

Just as Aaron started to really panic, Daryl was conscious again, disoriented but conscious. "Thank God. Hey, Daryl, come on, you need to stay awake." Aaron really hoped Daryl's black out was more to do with the sex than his injury. He knew if it was sex then it would pass and it wasn't serious. He just knew he couldn't lose him, not now. Aaron checked over Daryl's wound as the archer mumbled and shrugged away, but it looked as fine as it could be under the circumstances. It hadn't bled again since he'd used the Celox, and the bandages were still clean and tight.

"I thought I told ya to quit fussin'. I ain't dead. I just need to sleep fer a bit." Daryl announced bluntly in his usual growl, smacking at Aaron's hand for effect.

Aaron ignored his friend, instead he curled his arms around Daryl's body, holding him firmly as he cradled his head against his chest, hoping the archer would fall asleep and everything would be fine again in the morning.

A few minutes went by, Daryl contentedly listening to the gentle thud of Aaron's heart as it banged against his cheek. He wanted to sleep curled up here forever, but he knew once he did, it would be the end of whatever _this_ had been. Once the morning came they would head back, Aaron going back to Eric and him going back to an empty house, an empty bed…an empty life. He wanted to ask Aaron what all this had been about, but as much as he wanted to know, he didn't want to hear the rejection and the excuses. He just wanted to enjoy being wrapped in Aaron's arms for as long as he could.

Daryl knew he must've fallen asleep at some point in the night though, because when he woke he was laid next to Aaron on an old mattress, his pants were back on and he was wearing Aaron's shirt. He was also covered almost completely by Aaron's limbs with Aaron's fingers scraping rhythmically across his scalp. Before Daryl could move or speak, Aaron was already shuffling downwards on the mattress so his face was closer to the archer's.

"You know you snore, right?" Aaron chuckled "I thought you weren't ever going to wake up. You've been out for hours. How do you feel?" he asked with more seriousness to his tone.

"Mmmhmm, I'm okay I guess… hey, did ya dress me? How did ya…" Daryl began to ask, confused as to how he could have slept through being dressed and moved.

"Yep. You were pretty much unconscious. I guess you should've gotten some strength back by now. We're going to have to leave this place today. I already checked through the hatch, the walkers have moved on, just like you said they would. I'd really like to stay here longer, until you're feeling a lot better, but you need water, Daryl, and proper medical care and I need to get back," Aaron pulled himself up so he was now resting against the wall. He was wearing his pants, but was bare from the waist up since giving Daryl his shirt for extra warmth.

"Yeah. I know. I guess yer missin' Eric, huh? I'll be fine, just let me know when yer ready." Daryl tried to sound okay about things, but inside his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. He knew how it would end though, how it always ended, but that didn't make it any easier.

"I ain't gonna tell him. Ya don't gotta worry." Daryl announced, out of the blue as he pulled himself up to sit against the wall next to Aaron.

Aaron of course knew exactly what Daryl was thinking, and although he wanted to tease him, he just couldn't. He knew it would be cruel.

"Thanks. That means a lot," Aaron paused as he watched Daryl scrub at his face and comb his fingers through his hair, staring at the old mattress like it held the answer to all life's mysteries. "I don't want you to tell him, Daryl, because it needs to come from me. He won't be surprised. Guess he knew how I felt about you before I did. Which makes it easier…maybe." Aaron gently lifted Daryl's chin, forcing him to look at him. "Did you really think I would go back to him? Act like what we did didn't mean anything?" Aaron pressed a soft loving kiss to Daryl's mouth before curling his fingers around his neck and pressing his forehead into the archer's.

"I don't know if you want me. I don't even know if you know if you want me or not. And I don't know if we'll work out, but I want to try. You're who want to be with, Daryl. It's you or no one."

Daryl tried to process everything, everything that had gone on in the last 18 hours, but he couldn't. It was all too much. He was weak, tired, injured, trapped, hungry, he'd just let a man see him naked, touch him, fuck him. But not just any man. His best friend, someone he now knew he was in love with. Although Daryl knew he was probably confused about what was going on, all he could think about was doing what they'd done last night, over and over, every day for the rest of his life.

He chewed nervously on his lip, as so many things whirled in his head he felt nauseous. His breathing becoming rapid and his heart pounding in his ears. He wanted to ask Aaron if he really had just said he wanted to be with him, not Eric. But then he thought that maybe he was still asleep and that last night and all this was some twisted dream… or even worse, he was dead. Maybe this was his version of heaven… getting to re-live over and over the best few hours of his life. If it was, then he had to admit it was a better heaven than he ever thought his sorry ass would get a glimpse of.

Daryl finally plucked up the courage to speak, to end the incessant whirring in his head, when Aaron's lips connected with his in a chaste and lingering soft kiss. "Don't think too hard, you'll hurt yourself. I can hear the cogs turning from here!" Aaron whispered as he grinned at the archer. "I don't need an answer now. I think maybe I took things too quickly last night. I don't want to scare you off so take as much time as you need. I'm not planning on going anywhere."

Just the thought of Aaron going anywhere without him sent Daryl into a blind panic. Without thinking and using both his hands he pinned Aaron to the wall and swung his leg over the older man's outstretched legs, sitting firmly on his thighs until Aaron was completely at his mercy.

Aaron's eyes were wide with something between excitement and confusion as he looked at the predatory glint in Daryl's bright blue orbs. Daryl looked Aaron over for a while, narrowing his eyes and chewing on his lip until he almost drew blood… well what blood he had left to draw, considering what he'd lost, and what was currently residing in his rock hard erection.

"Ya really want me?" Daryl asked as he shifted uneasily in Aaron's lap, his fingers tightened their grasp on his friend's hands. Aaron nodded, a smile lighting up his whole being "Yes. Honestly. I do really want you. You're good for me, Daryl. I could be good for you if you let me try. And I meant everything I said. Everything."

Daryl hesitated a moment longer, trying to decide if Aaron could possibly be lying or joking or if he was just plain crazy. Daryl knew Aaron wasn't and couldn't be any of those things though. He knew Aaron always meant the things he said, even if Daryl himself didn't understand why he said them. Daryl's thoughts once more drifted to Beth and how he regretted not telling her how he felt about her when he had the chance, and how he regretted even more the fact she died still never knowing. "Okay, we'll try." Daryl looked up through his bangs with a wicked look on his face "One condition."

"What?" Aaron asked slowly, squeezing Daryl's hands encouragingly, trying not to show his euphoria.

"Ya don't always get to wear the pants in this relationship. I liked the thing…yunno…last night, but I ain't nobody's bitch." Daryl couldn't help but snort as he watched Aaron's mouth literally drop open.

Aaron was virtually struck dumb by both shock and the sudden rush of blood to his cock. "Wow, Daryl. Okay. Honesty? So…I guess I'll promise not to make you my bitch then! Is that good enough for you?"

"Yeah, reckon so...Just so ya know though…I ain't gonna be as gentle with ya when it's my turn." Daryl couldn't help but turn crimson at his candid revelation, wondering if he'd gone too far.

"Okay, honesty again… you might like to know that I don't want to wear the pants in this relationship…ugh, not literally…I mean that I want you to wear the pants, and I don't want you to be gentle. I like your roughness, it makes me feel safe, and I know underneath it you're kind and sweet. Adorable." Aaron finally admitted the thing he'd been most worried about, the fact he didn't want to play dominant anymore. Well, not all the time anyway.

Daryl released his hold of Aaron's hands, leaning forward as if to kiss him "Best get us outta this piece a' G.I shit then, 'cause I wanna get ya home so I can keep an eye on yer pantless ass. I got plans fer that pretty ass. Filthy dirty plans, and there ain't gonna be nothin' adorable about what I'mma do to ya." Aaron groaned out at that thought, he grabbed Daryl's head, smothering his lips with a passionate forceful kiss and Daryl suddenly had a foreign notion that maybe, just maybe his life wouldn't be so empty anymore.

 **A/N We hope you enjoyed this? It's a little foray into a relationship that seems little explored so far in the world of fan fiction. We think Aaryl is a beautiful pairing and we really loved writing this. Depending on feedback and our other writing commitments, we may in the future extend this by a chapter or two. At the moment it's complete, but follow if you want to get any future updates.**

 **Thanks for reading and please review if you have a moment!**

 **Love Lola & eReedus xx**


End file.
